The Institute for High Music Studies “Claudio Monteverdi”
(Istituto Superiore di Studi Musicali – ISSM Monteverdi) is a public Higher Edutional Institution (HEI) with related research activities and artistic production.
The Institute pursues the musical education at Professional level, the diffusion and growth of musical culture, the disclosure of the musical and artistic culture in all its forms through modern educational and cultural paths. It provides music education at Bachelors (1st Cycle – Level 6 EQF) and Masters (2nd Cycle – Level 7 EQF), as well as youth education (pre-academic courses), including a large number of foreign students.
Inserted in a rich context of musical tradition famous all over the world (fatherland of Monteverdi and Stradivari, Cremona’s ‘traditional violin craftsmanship’ has been recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by Unesco), the Institute is well established in the territory. It has strong relationships with the University of Pavia – Musicology Faculty in Cremona and it collaborates with Bocconi University in Milan (MAMA Master of Management in Art and Music).
In the artistic production the Institute has involved Teatro Ponchielli, Museo del Violino and the most important institutions in Cremona, featuring projects with Academy of Fine Arts in Venice, Mantua Conservatory, Mondo Musica, Chiusi Orizzonti Festival, FAI Italian Ambient Fund and many others.
Cremona, fatherland of Monteverdi and Stradivari, has a rich musical tradition and is famous all over the world for its lute manifacturing listed by UNESCO among the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It is among the few cities in Italy to have a Musicology Faculty. In 2003 the Civic Music School attained such a level that obtained the qualification of HEI under the name of Istituto Musicale Pareggiato, and then Istituto Superiore di Studi Musicali “Claudio Monteverdi”. Since then the Institute has established strong connections with the most important establishments in Cremona, such as Musicology Faculty, Teatro Ponchielli, Walter Stauffer Foundation and agreements with HEIs institutions in Milan, Mantua, Venice, in shared projects as teaching plans and artistic productions. Artistic projects have also been carried out under agreements with Goryeong Music School in Korea. Cremona is also very interesting for its artistic heritage and offers an enriching experience, in a lively cultural underground with an affordable everyday life.
Since Cremona attracts students and youth orchestras from all over the world, the ISSM Claudio Monteverdi usually deals with students from European Countries, from America, Australia and Far East Countries meeting them at the Institute or participating in concerts together.
Many foreign students have studied and are currently attending ISSM Monteverdi’s courses from Japan, Russia, Ukraine, Popular Republic of China, Taiwan.
Thus we believe that to make really improve the Institute it is absolutely necessary to participate in a structured international activity such as Erasmus+ Programme. ISSM Monteverdi needs to collaborate steadily with other HEIs under Erasmus+ Programme to improve the possibilities for students to be more competitive in the world of work, and provide enhancing of the Institute itself.
Having access to Erasmus+ Project will allow us to fulfill European Directives in modernisation and comparison with other european HEIs.
The choice of partner institutions depends on several points: first of all compatibility of courses programme, standards of quality, feasibility of durable partnership and, last but not least, existing relationships between our teaching staff and that of large number of foreign HEIs which leeds easily to mutual trust. In addition to previous relationships and in the aim of internationalisation strategy, the Institute has recently joined the AEC (European Conservatory Association). We expect a great opportunity from this membership: participating in its meetings and activities will give us the chance to know new potential partners, furthermore to deal with several HEIs at the same moment in order to make possible joint ventures. Cremona’s membership in European Mozart Ways (recently renewed, with an outstanding position of the Institute) may also give us a path to follow.
Geographically the aim is to have balanced exchanges with HEIs from different cultures, languages and musical grounds, in order to approach various learning and teaching methodologies and performing praxis in the aim to pursue the modernisation and internationalisation of the Institute.
Students in first and second degrees, teaching and administrative staff will be involved in Erasmus+ Programme with no discrimination as described in Art. 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.